THE 2000s: 2000-2009 In 1981, at the dedication of Cutter launched in a single event. Field, Sid Cutter mentioned that the 2000 brought new events and changes in other 2000“new” launch site was big enough so areas. After years of it being too windy in the the Balloon Fiesta could have 1,000 afternoons for the special shape balloons to fl y, the balloons! It was a somewhat bold statement, and Balloon Fiesta gave up on that idea and turned both not entirely popular with some balloonists who felt evening special shape events into Glowdeos – with 1,000 was a few hundred too many. But in the year record attendance resulting. The Special Shape Rodeo 2000, the Balloon Fiesta Board decided that – just this on Thursday and Friday now consisted of morning once! – they’d open the fl oodgates to 1,000 colorful mass ascension/competition fl ights for the shapes, aerostats. “1,000 in 2000” became the battle cry, and and two evening Glowdeos. New competition events, sure enough, in 2000 more than 1,000 balloons took including the Double Drop and Balloon Fiesta Golf, to the skies in Albuquerque (the number is variously challenged pilots. The Fiesta of Wheels Car Show was estimated at 1,003 to 1,019). a new and popular addition, as was grass added to the It was a spectacular sight, but the skeptics proved to south end of the fi eld. be right. One thousand was too many, both logistically The 2000 Balloon Fiesta proved to be an unusually and given the dwindling availability of places for wet one – so wet that at one point the local TV stations balloonists to land – and recent Balloon Fiestas have sent their news helicopters to hover over and dry the been limited to around 600 balloons. But if there was fi eld. But the weather pattern proved to be great for any question that Albuquerque is the hot air balloon distance gas balloon fl ights: David and Alan Levin fl ew capital of the world, the 2000 Balloon Fiesta settled the nearly 2,000 miles to set a new America’s Challenge question and set a record for the number of balloons record. ® 202 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta